I hate to say this, but my son is a toddler and I'm still tired all the time.

So long as you are nursing on demand (when baby wants and for how long baby wants), there's no reason your milk supply should suddenly drop in the ordinary course of events. But I would be wary of hormonal contraception - even the mini pill may interfere with milk production for some moms. And fwiw, the mini pill is not super effective. You may wish to explore a non-hormonal IUD, spermicide, barrier methods (condom, diaphragm), etc.

Generally, though, milk is produced on a supply and demand basis. The more your baby demands, the more is produced. You should not react to increased nursing by supplementing with formula, the increased frequency and duration of nursing is necessary to teach your body to produce the amount of milk your baby needs.

What I did was try to nap when DS slept. I also co-slept - if you're not comfortable having your baby in your bed, a co-sleeper or a "sidecar crib" (typically a dropside crib with the drop side removed, affixed to the side of your bed) will allow baby to be near you for easier nursing during the night.

In my experience, DH was also an integral part of "the team," and if your hubby isn't, now is the time to enlist him. I always said that I was responsible for input, DH was responsible for output. When DS was very young, he usually pooped during nursing, so I'd nurse for a bit, he'd go, DH would change him and bring him back, and I'd nurse him to sleep. As he got older and didn't always poop when he ate, he'd still usually be wet a lot during the night, so DH would change him before I nursed him. At any rate, the whole diaper changing process was delegated to DH so that I got a bit more sleep.

January 3rd, 2012, 08:48 AM

@llli*bcav

Re: Dilemma: BFing or formula

I was talking to my MIL about this and she mentioned that I seem to get slimmer every time she sees me. I haven't been trying to lose weight but I do weigh less now than I did before I got pregnant. So, for the last few days I have been consciously trying to eat at least 2500 calories a day and drink lots of water and that has made a huge different in my pumping output. When DH and I were hanging out with the inlaws yesterday I mentioned that "it might be easier to feed DS formula because we would know how much he was getting" just to see their reaction. My MIL said "why give him formula when he's got the best stuff right here?" I love her :) I know DH was trying to "help" but he said since I'm the mama that it's my decision as to how I want to feed DS and I'm sticking with BFing.

Oh, and DS has gone back to waking only 1-2 times a night :)

Thanks for the support ladies!

January 3rd, 2012, 02:00 PM

@llli*elisabetsey

Re: Dilemma: BFing or formula

Yay for your supportive MIL :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by @llli*bcav

I was talking to my MIL about this and she mentioned that I seem to get slimmer every time she sees me. I haven't been trying to lose weight but I do weigh less now than I did before I got pregnant.

I have this "problem" ;) too!!! The weird thing is taking the compliments from people who don't know better and think I've been trying to lose that weight. Awkward, since I was happy with pre-pregnancy weight... (I'm probably about 10lbs lighter right now, all my pants are falling off, sigh). And yeah, it's hard remember to eat/drink enough...er, enough "extra" in comparison to pre-nursing. I end up carrying a nalgene bottle EVERYWHERE with me, otherwise I don't drink enough throughout the day.